Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-05-13
AbOat Rats.

Jay Gould paid $400 recently to have
his steam yacht Atlanta cleared of rats; ;
then he made contract with the man
to keep the Atlanta free from rats in
consideration of $500 year. There are
in this city men who make yearly con-
tracts to have their factories or stores
kept free from rats, and they pay from
$50 to 800 year. The professional
rat catcher of this city is little old John
Gregory, whose quaint little figure, with
his two terriers and his box of ferrets
on his back, and his pipe in his mouth,
is familiar in all parts of the city.
The rat catcher uses from five TO ten
ferrets and his two terriers and rat
net. The dogs scent the rat-hole. Then
the ferrets are put in the holes. The
rats run from the ferrets 10 the holes,
where they run into the nets. Some
times IA she rat shows battle TO protect
her young, but rat is no match for
ferret. The ferrets only kill about one
rat out of ten. The rest of the rats run
into the nets, aud then the dogs Kill
them. 4 ferret catches n rat by the
throat, sucks its blood, and then leaves
it. The ferrets destroy all the nests and
young rats, but after a ferret has APP
peaseG its appetite il is useless until II
gets hungry again. Jack keeps his fer
rets hungry as much rs possible.
Rats infest every sort of building
almost. They can be found In large
numbers in iron foundries, although IL
is mystery what they live on. The
stages of theatres are nearly all inhab-
tied by rats. The old market sheds OH
Bainbridge, Spring Garden and North
Second streets and Girard avenue are
full of rats. At night they scamper
about, squcaling aud playing tag with
each other right on the heels almost OF
pedestrians. The farmers and stall
keepers leave lots Of refuse matter for
the rats TO feast on, and they Will never
forsake the market sheds while Councils
allow them to stand. An old red faced
policeman standing in one OF the market
sheds on Girard avenue said last night
that he'd rather tackle 4 prize ghter
than big rat.
"Rats?" said night watchman down
on the wharf of Southern steamship
line last night. "Why, there's more
rats hopping along Delaware avenue Mt
night thar there are stones In the street.
All the wharves where provisions are
stored are swarming with rats. They
do thousands and thousands OF dollars
worth Of damage III n year. Half Il dozen
rats can gnaw through into box OF
herrlngs in a night and make the box
and its contents unsalcable. They live
i'm the holds aud hide in all sorts OF
places. During voyage from here to
Liverpool a hundred rats will ruin as
many boxes OF cheese or tubs OF lard.
Rats are very fond of cheese and lard
and tal!ow and butter. They like
smoked fish, too, nd have a passion for
dates and figs and sweet things that are
brought here by the ships. The vessels
that carry grain are bothered a great
deal with rats, too. I've seen rats rum
ming across this wharf as big as eats and
as bold as lions. They grow very large
and fat and hardy here on the wharves.
They're different from stable rats and
the rats that live in big stores. They're
tougher. The water rats that have their
nests underneath the wharves grow
very bold In winter and forage over the
wharves for winter rations. A hungry
rat is an ugly animal. Philadelphia